twodoebs

We recently took the pool portions of our scuba certification training with an outfit called Adventure Scuba on New York's Upper East Side. Shortly after the training, we received the following e-mail:

Hi,

Having recently completed Scuba training with us I was wondering if you don't mind taking a few minutes from your busy day to let me know how your experience with us was.

Your feedback will help us to make changes and improve our services in the future.
Please feel free to speak your mind whatever the topic. From your experience in the
classroom to the pool facility that we use, to your in water instructor, without
your help we are never positive that everyone has gotten the most out of their
training with Adventure Scuba. Both positive and negative feedback helps
us to do our jobs better.

Thank You
Again,

Seth

Adventure Scuba
1737 York
Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212-876-DIVE(3483)
http://www.adventurescubany.com/
"Adventure awaits you"

"Seth" is presumably Seth Orenstein, Adventure Scuba's owner.

ANYWAY, since he ASKED, we felt compelled to reply. ACTUALLY, I had written a much stronger letter the day after our training, but we opted not to send it 'cause it . . . well, it wasn't very nice. But--as I said--he ASKED.

So Kati sent him THIS message:

Dear Seth,

I'm glad you wrote us as I'd already been planning a note for you. For a
summary response, I'd say our experience was mixed.

On the positive notes:
The Asphalt Green facilities are just
beautiful. It was a great place and I'm glad we got the chance to use it.
Addison Chappell, our teacher, was very patient, helpful and efficient.
I
appreciate you making the one day course available. While it was a long day, and
we do have some negative feedback, it would have been very difficult for us to
do in multiple sessions. Even in retrospect, we wouldn't have done it any
other way.

The Negatives:
1. The group was just too large. We were 3-on-1
in class and that ratio was perfect. Considering the group at large however,
there was not enough space . . . we were literally on top of each other. Addison
had to make adjustments to his plans a few times to accommodate the large number
of scuba students in and around the pool. As two people who weren't originally
in the April 26 class, I couldn't help but wonder if it would have been better
for all if we were told that the class was too crowded to join that day. In any
case, it just felt like too many people were there for it to be comfortable.

2. Following on the idea that class was too large . . . there was no back
up equipment because of the number of students. It seems incredibly dismissive
of the cost and time expenditure not to ensure there is back up equipment if
it's needed.

3. Faulty equipment lead to my tank running out of air completely at the
bottom of the pool. As a result, I had to make a Controlled Emergency Swimming
Ascent. Throughout the day, my SPG was malfunctioning, causing air to leak
from the tank. When I noticed the air leak during the morning I showed Addison
who indicated it shouldn't cause any real trouble but to watch it. At our lunch
break, my SPG indicated I'd used more air than my classmates which we all
attributed to the leak. After lunch we were supplied new tanks with dust caps
on. When I attached the regulator and checked the SPG my reading did not
indicate a full tank. Assuming the dust cap was errantly put on a partially full
tank, Addison opted to get a new tank. That, however, yielded the same atypical
reading from my SPG, only about 1000 psi.

Addison took the SPG and regulator to the equipment room and inspected
it, presumably with the other teachers. When he returned, he said that the SPG
worked, it just didn't give accurate readings. Since no back ups were available
we continued the dive with the faulty SPG. Another instructor even checked in on
the situation, also calling the equipment "diveable". So, we continued. After
only a few skills underwater my SPG was reading low, 500 psi, and I showed
Addison who indicated I should continue. Very shortly thereafter, my SPG
read zero. I showed Addison who again indicated I should just keep an eye on
it.

During our next task my tank ran completely out of air, and I had
to make a CESA This tells me that while it was clear that the SPG was faulty, it
was also highly likely that the tank was faulty as well—if the tank was full at
the start of the dive, it couldn't have been empty halfway through the
afternoon. Obviously, I had to end the dive while my classmates continued; I
watched from the surface. Once they completed their skills, we switched tanks
and regulators so I could complete mine.

My chief problem with this experience is that it was completely
avoidable. With too many students booked and no back up equipment I was left
with malfunctioning equipment. Compounding this disappointment is that from the
first entry to the pool, our teacher knew the equipment was faulty and, although
there was a store full of equipment across the street, no replacement was made
available. The final shocking bit about this is that with Adventure Scuba
holding themselves out as one of those "reputable" dive shops where divers
should have their equipment serviced, it doesn't appear that much care is taken
for the life support equipment used in class. Not to mention, this apparent
blase attitude about faulty equipment runs in direct contrast to the very
principals PADI aims to teach, and undermines their emphasis on checking your
gear, ensuring it's working properly and caring for it meticulously.

My secondary problem was that later that evening I experienced chest
pains and great discomfort, enough so that it even caused us to call DAN for
medical advice. We can't help but wonder what role, if any, the malfunctioning
equipment and apparent use of an entire tank and a half of air in one day may
have played in that experience.

All in all, we did enjoy our class and I regret any indication that
Addison is not a competent and caring teacher. I felt he was
genuinely interested in our learning. However, we were disappointed by the
quality of the equipment provided, especially considering it likely could have
been a contributing factor to a rather scary post-dive experience.

I expect a PADI approved shop to treat its equipment and students with
greater care. And, in case reparative measures have not yet been taken, it was
regulator number 3.

Many thanks to your attention to this serious matter,

Kati

And a scary situation it WAS. No response from Seth or Adventure Scuba, yet . . . stay tuned and we'll update you if there are changes.